1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety guard device for an electrical wall outlet and more particularly to an improved safety plate device containing a manually slidable panel which is provided with an opening which provides access to an electrical wall outlet, but which also can prevent access to such an outlet when the outlet is not otherwise occupied by an electrical plug. Advantageously, the safety guard device is provided with a locking system for locking the manually slidable panel to prevent access to the electrical outlet.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, since the introduction of electrical power in homes, there has always been a problem of safety, especially where children are present. Various types of safety cover plates for electrical wall outlets are known in the art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,068,442 issued to Kubik et al. employs a set of covers that shield the socket openings. Through a single control, all of the socket openings may be exposed simultaneously for use. When a plug is removed, the cover, which is spring-biased, closes. The cover slide is manually actuated with a vertically positioned control that unlatches the covers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,270 issued to Aslizadeh describes a protective cover for an electrical outlet that comprises a pair of slidable closure plates and a pair of coil spring-actuated blocking plates, wherein both plates are positioned within the boundaries of the rectangular openings in the front wall of the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,136 issued to Thomas teaches a child-proof protective device with a plate which covers and registers with a plug. The plate includes a pair of slidable doors or panels which are releasably locked in position with a pair of sliding, locking members, one positioned on the top and one positioned on the bottom, thereby precluding operation by children with small hands.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,634 issued to Antone II et al. employs a face plate with independent closures, each of the closures being biased to a closed position by tensioning members, such as rubber bands or helical springs. The receptacle is covered by guides positioned within the cover plate using a mortise and tenon joint.
Steinhilber et al. discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,511 a decorative wall plate and slider cap. A slider member having two barbed clips interact with protruding rail members for containment and fingers act as cams to move a toggle in the vertical direction. A decorative cap gives form to the toggle switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,017 issued to Wolf-Taylor et al. employs a pair of spring-loaded sliding, traverse plates which shift to open and closed positions in front of an electrical wall outlet receptacle. The plates are in tracks and automatically spring to enclose the plug when released.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,818 and 4,857,004 issued to Poirier disclose a safety guard which comprises a cover with a pair of openings adapted to be mounted over an electrical wall outlet and closure elements which are slidably mounted to the cover to expose or to cover the openings in registry with the sockets of the wall outlet.
Although these protective systems provide for spring-actuated blocking plates which are movable to automatically cover the socket openings if a plug is removed from a socket, they are not fully protective in that most children will be able to master the sliding movement of the plates, either accidentally or through observation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,755 issued to Engel et al. discloses a safety plate for electrical outlets which includes a cover plate having apertures therein for receiving the prongs of an electrical plug. A pair of slidable panels also having apertures for the prongs of a plug are mounted to the back of the cover plate and are held in place by a back plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,347 issued to Power et al. discloses an electrical apparatus cover plate which has an enclosing base plate mounted on a wall over an electrical outlet and a protective shield that is retained through a dovetail arrangement provided in the base plate and covers the outlet for protection. However, the operation of both of these electrical devices can be difficult in operation.
The present inventor is also prosecuting another U.S. application Ser. No. 09/494,430, filed Jan. 31, 2000, which discloses a safety guard device for an electrical outlet which also includes locking members for locking or unlocking a base plate to a cover plate. The base plate can be slidably interlocked through the pair of guides, and the bottom opening of the cover plate can be used with a lower opening or an upper opening of the base plate for preventing access to the wall outlet when an electrical plug is not inserted. However, this safety guard device for an electrical outlet includes locking members and guides located at the top portion thereof, respectively.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a safety guard device for an electrical wall outlet which eliminates the above problems encountered with conventional safety cover plates for an electrical wall outlet.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety plate device which includes a manually slidable panel having an opening for protecting an electrical wall outlet designed to prevent access to such outlet when an electrical plug is not inserted.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a safety guard device for an electrical wall outlet which includes a base plate having upper and lower openings and a pair of locking members extending from the bottom thereof and a cover plate having a bottom opening and a pair of apertures disposed at the bottom thereof for slidably interlocking with the locking members of the base plate.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a safety guard device for an electrical wall outlet which includes a base plate having upper and lower openings and a pair of locking members provided on opposite sides, e.g., on the upper left side and on the lower right side thereof, and a cover plate having a bottom opening and a pair of engaging and releasing members for slidably interlocking with the locking member of the base plate.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a safety guard device for an electrical wall outlet which is simple in structure, inexpensive to manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
Briefly described, the present invention is directed to a safety guard device for an electrical outlet which includes a base plate having a pair of openings and a pair of locking members extended from the bottom thereof and a cover plate having a bottom opening and a pair of slots located at the bottom thereof, whereby the locking members of the base plate can be locked to the cover plate or unlocked from the cover plate.